Luftwaffe formation questions

[Reflected]

I’m doing some research on Luftwaffe fighter formations. 
 

what I found so far is that in a schwarm, each plane was separated by about 200m - quite a lot! 
 

also, a Staffel was made of 3 schwarms, that flew either line abreast or astern with altitude separation. Does anyone have more info about this? Which was more frequent? What separation was used? 
 

thanks in advance!

[Doughguy]

Zitat

The standard four-aircraft Schwarm fighter formation evolved from the earlier threeaircraft Kette used by pilots of the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War. A fouraircraft formation was found to offer greater in-flight cohesion and tactical flexibility. The Schwarm comprised two pairs – Rotten – in which one wingman, positioned behind, monitored and guarded the Rottenführer’s (lead pilot’s) course. The two Rotten flew in a loose line abreast formation, but with the rear Rotte echeloned back so that effectively the wingman concept extended by Rotte to the whole Schwarm, and resulted in a ‘finger-four’ formation, broadly resembling the fingers of an outstretched hand. Generally, it was found that the best distance between aircraft was around 180–200m. As the war progressed and different mission types ensued, so the optimum spacing between aircraft could change. For example, missions in Defence of the Reich would see tighter formation flying to bring together greater firepower in an attempt to overwhelm the massed defences of enemy bomber formations. Larger formations would, in turn, be comprised of several Schwärme, with a lead Schwarm flying immediately ahead of other Schwarm positioned on either side, the one to the right staggered slightly further back.

Quote from  Robert Forsyths book Fw 190D-9 Defence of the Reich 1944–45